Just because things don’t go the way we had prayed doesn’t mean God is not answering.

Mary and Martha had asked for Jesus to come because their brother Lazarus was deathly ill. But on hearing the news, Jesus stayed for a couple more days in the place where he was. Was this deliberate? Was He being intentional in His delay? I believe so. He is all knowing. He did say, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4)

Something was brewing.
What seemed to be a setback was actually a divine setup.

When Jesus came, Lazarus had already been in the tomb for 4 days lifeless. Martha brings in an accusation to Jesus and says, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21)

We are quick to judge God’s intentions.Lord, You are not really in control.Lord, I thought You were all powerful.Lord, You didn’t come through on time. Maybe You’re not that mindful of us.Lord, I thought You were a prayer answering God.

But many times, we need to elevate our perspective to see something beyond what our natural eyes can perceive.

If Jesus came 4 days early, surely He is more than able to heal Lazarus from his illness.
The thing is, they would only experience Him as a healer.
But because he came a few days later, they got to know Him as the Resurrection and the Life.

What we see in the natural is very limited to explain all that’s happening in the spiritual.

God wants to reveal Himself to you the different attributes of who He is.
Often, we just see a limited view. But through our experiences and how He works through those circumstances will allow us to see Him in a new light and from a different perspective.

And when that happens, watch out for it bring you to a new level of praise.

By faith, when you do something you’ve never done before, you’ll be able to experience something you’ve never seen before.

You can tell a person’s spiritual condition as you observe where he gets his wisdom and strength from.

David, together with his mighty men just lost their wives and children to the Amalekites. His men even thought of stoning him to death as a result. He cried so many tears that the Bible said that he no longer had any strength left to weep.

But he found strength in the Lord His God. (1 Samuel 30:6)

He later inquired of the Lord if they were to pursue the Amalekites.
God told him to go for it.

Right about the same time King Saul was seeking wisdom. But Saul looked for it through the witch of Endor. This was the beginning of a downward spiral spiritually.

Here is where you can observe one’s spiritual condition.
Saul sought wisdom through worldly means.
David sought it from God who knows all for He is the Alpha and Omega, knowing the end from the beginning.

When push comes to shove, who do you run to for wisdom and strength?

The Scriptures are readily available for us. His Word is our primary source for insight about life and living.

Let’s approach Him who not only knows everything but desires the best for us at will ultimately bring Him glory.

“No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God.” (Romans 4:20)

When facing a daunting challenge ahead, we have two choices – to press on with faith or to give up in unbelief.

I remember one of our pastors from Mindanao giving his testimony of God’s faithfulness. He and his wife have been praying for a baby for years. They wanted to enjoy the first couple of years of their marriage so they felt it was fine not to have a child yet. But as year 3 came, they realized that it wasn’t happening. Year 4 and 5 came and they were getting worried regarding what might be the concern.

Year 6 and 7 came and still no baby. At this point, when you go through this type of situation, what do you do? Do you accept that it’s the will of God or continue persevering in faith? For my two friends, they kept trusting God.

Similar to Romans 4:20, they stayed the course and allowed “no unbelief to make them waver concerning the promise of God.”

And here’s an important truth:
“A promise is only as good as the person who makes the promise.” (Dare To Believe Manual)

Because God said it, then that settles it!

If you have a promise from God, hold on to it. Don’t let go. Keep on keeping on because He who promised is faithful.

What happened after year 9? My friends got their answer to prayer. Baby Rania was born.

I can’t explain why Rania came on the 9th year of their marriage. Some answers to prayer come on the 5th or 9th or 15th year. But as you go through the journey, embrace the process for God is bringing about something you and I may not fully understand at the moment. But in time, we will realize that God makes all things beautiful in His time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Jesus. That’s the only name we desire to exalt.
It is in His name that we can find all we would ever need and desire – Savior, Provider, Lord, Master, Forgiver… our All in All.

FIVE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

1. CONTEND AGAINST.

The greater the breakthrough, the greater the warfare.
We are to contend in the Spirit without ceasing.

2. CONTEND WITH.

When we don’t fight as a family, we can’t win. We need to learn to fight as a family, fight not as a wrestler but as a centurion, arm in arm with fellow warriors. If we fight alone, we’re dead. If we fight together, we win.

3. CLEANSING.

Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:20-21)

We want to be fit for the Master’s use. Repentance, turning and humility are keys to seeing this come to pass.

4. DELIVERANCE.

God will release people for His greater glory.
We’ve been seeing people set free from past hurts, sinful patterns, and emotional trauma.
Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.

John 8:35 says that a servant doesn’t remain in the house forever, but a son does. A servant does the will of the Master because it is his duty but a son does the will of his Father because it is his delight.

5. SPIRITUAL POWER.

A greater move of the Spirit means greater opposition.

To see all that God is wanting to accomplish, it has to be birthed not in the physical but spiritual.

Jim Laffoon: “As this new building finishes, know that you are not just building a building but birthing a new era.”

We see the spirit of evangelism rise, prophetic prayer get activated and intercession/praying in the Spirit operate in a greater measure.

We are in an exciting season of our church.

Watch and see what God is going to do to a people surrendered to His love, will and leading.

“Nearness is a gift. Closeness is a daily choice.” (Jim Laffoon)
21 DAYS.

We sense that God is calling the leadership to a season of prayer and fasting. Starting July 10 – 31, pastors and leaders will be on a Daniel fast.

If you feel God is calling you to join us, go jump in with us whether for a week or 2 or whole 3 weeks.

The greatest breakthrough in fasting is not an answer to our prayer but the presence of God Himself.

This week, Victory enters into a season of prayer and fasting. Every year for more than a decade now, at the first week of January, we dedicate for a time of seeking God.

Question, is it possible to seek God without skipping meals? Absolutely!
Will we get our answers to our prayers like getting our Christmas list checked by Santa because we are nice, not naughty? Well, it doesn’t work that way.

Fasting is not a magical exercise that when we do it, we log in spiritual points in heaven.

I love what Wesley Deuwel, former president of One Missionary Society once said,“Fasting in the biblical sense is choosing not to partake of food because your spiritual hunger is so deep, your determination in intercession so intense, or your spiritual warfare so demanding that you have temporarily set aside even fleshly needs to give yourself to prayer and meditation.”

What fasting does is getting serious about connecting with God.

“When a man is willing to set aside the legitimate appetites of the body to concentrate on the work of praying, he is demonstrating that he means business, that he is seeking with all his heart, and will not let God go unless He answers.” — Arthur Wallis

Why fast?

1. Jesus fasted.

Before Jesus started His ministry, He fasted in the wilderness. (Matthew 4:1-4)
He was showing us an example of what it means to prepare by become spiritually strong even though one may be physically weak.

2. Fasting is an act of humility.

When we fast, we deny our physical appetites and communicate to Him that He takes top priority in our life. The Bible says that God gives grace to the humble and yet opposes the proud (James 4:6).

3. Fasting makes us sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”Acts 13:2

Fasting makes us sensitive to God and His leadership.

4. Fasting has health benefits.

You will lose weight but if that’s your goal in this season, it won’t work. You’ll just gain it back after. But one of the health benefits of fasting is that it cleanses our bodies from the toxins in our digestive system that we’ve accumulated during the past year, especially during the holiday season. Medical science tells us that it has been an effective cure for allergies and certain diseases.

But most of all, the discipline of fasting illustrates to us that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)

PHOTO CREDIT: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bardin/

Lord, you love righteousness and justice.
Thank you that You fill the earth with Your unfailing love.

Lord, You foil the plans of nations and You thwart the purposes of people.
But Your plans, O Lord, stand firm forever and the purposes of your heart through all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…
We wait in hope for you, O Lord. You are our help and our shield.
In You, our hearts rejoice for we trust in your holy name.
May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You.

Father, we commit to you our beloved nation, the Philippines.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
We give you all honor, all praise, all worship for You alone deserve it.